Case and fastening therefor



June 6, 1944. H. B, RORKE 2,350,640

CASE AND FASTENING THEREFOR Filed April 29, 1942 I fiheozo B. foe/ 5,

INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,350,640 CASE AND FASTENING THEREFOR Harold B. ltorke, New York, N. Y. Application April 29, 1942, Serial No. 440,940

7 Claims.

This invention relates to article containers and their fastenings and particularly to the cover type of container or case for cosmetic or toilet articles and the like. There are many types of such cases known in the art, each having its own particular cover arrangement and method of opening and closing the same. Many of such case covers or lids do not open easily, many cause considerable annoyance in each instance of opening, and many do not close with suificient security to remain closed when not in use. I

The present invention is a continuation-inpart of my application Serial No. 340,883, filed June 17, 1940, and is directed to a case wherein an article such as a lipstick or stick of shaving cream is fixedly held in a base portion of the case while the cover member is quickly and easily attached, with a positive lock to resist accidental separation, and removed with a minimum amount of effort. The cover may also serve as ahandle for the enclosed article by being similarly attached to another section or side of the base. The case is also-useful for loose articles, such as toothbrushes, combs, tools or disassembled small parts, while the novel fastenings may be adopted for other types of containers.

The principal feature of the invention is the method of and means for atteaching the cover to the base portion of the case and of utilizing the cover as a handle for the base. The closure may be made simply by pressing the base and cover together to provide a tight and positive interlocking of the two portions which cannot be parted or separated by a longitudinal pull. To release the cover, however, it is only necessary to impart a simple twisting motion to the cover relative to the. base and the portions are released and urged apart.

The principal object of the invention, therefore. is to provide a positive joinder between two elements which may be attached and separated readily.

Another object of the invention isto facilitate the opening and closing of the cover of a case or container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet or similar container case which is easily and quickly opened and closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article container having a cover which will serve as a handle for the article during use thereof.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims,

the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description, read 'in' con,-

I junction with the accompanying drawing, forniing a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cover of the container embodying a preferred form of the in.- vention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the container embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a partial cross-section of the base and cover in closed position;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the base looking in the direction of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the cover being used as a handle in accordance with the invention; 1

Fig.6 is a modification of the base portion of the invention, and,

Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a modification of the method of and means for attaching the base and cover.

Referring now to the drawing in which like numerals refer to identical parts, the cover section 5 is anelongated hollow member in the form' of a flattened cylinder closed at one end which may or may not be slightl tapered. Running along a portion of the curved sides of the cover are fine slits 6 and I with small holes ateach end thereof, one of which is shown at 8, to prevent splitting of the cover. The cover may also have additional slits to impart suflicient flexi bility to the material of the cover to permit spreading without breaking. Y

Adjacent the internal rim of the the cover and positioned on each flat side section thereof are depressions lo and H, adapted, as shown in cross-section in Fig. 3, 'to engage similar shapedprojections Hand 20 in a' 'base.

section. The open end of the cover is flared to facilitate spreading of the cover and joining of the depressions and projections. The face of each depression facing the open end of the cover is substantially perpendicular to the center line of the cover to resist accidental'opening. -The cover may be of metal or of plastic material, or

of any flexible substance, and may be of other open end of Fig. 3), on the outer surface of each of which are the diametrically opposed cam-shaped Drojections l9 and 20 on collar l5, and similar projections 2| and 22 on collar l6. These projections are rounded in conjugate shape similar to slots l3 and H, and have the contacting surfaces l3 sufliciently perpendicular to the axis of the ring [4 to prevent the separation of the base and cover by a direct longitudinal pull. Although not necessary, it is to be understood that the collars l5 and I6 may be slightly flattened to correspond to any degree of flattening of the opening of cover 5 to aid in locating the depressions l and l I, with respect to the projections l9 and 20. Also additional slots and projections may be provided and the collars and cover opening flattened at more than'two points, if desired.

In Fig. .3, collar I is shown cupped at 25 to a lipstick 25, it being understood that the internal cross-section of the cup may be any shape-such as square, rectangular, etc. The base l2 may also be of a metal, plastic or other material.

To effect a closure between cover 5 and base i2, it is only necessary to press the cover over the collar l5 until it abuts the ring l4. In this operation the sides of the cover are slightly sprung apart along the slits 6 and I. When the depressions l0 and II are brought to coincide with the projections I9 and 20, the cover need only be rotated until the projections reach the notches, flattening of the internal open end of the cover and of the collars being an aid to the proper jointure. Flattening of the external portion of the cover will prevent the case from rolling when laid on a smooth surface, although the external surface may be of any shape.

To eflect separation between base and cover, it is necessary to twist or rotate the cover relative to the base, the latter being gripped by the knurled ring l4. Aided by the circumferential curvature of the projections and slots, the cover will be slightly sprung and the projections will be easily removed from the slots until they rest on the sides of the cover adjacent to or between the depressions. The tension in the sides of the resilient cover will now urge the two sections apart along the flare of the collar 1 5.'

Thus, the cover is quickly attached to the base in such a positive locking manner that any movement of the case in a person's clothes pocket or handbag will not open it; however, the cover is readily removable when it is desired to use the contained article, but not by a direct longitudinal pull. 1

As mentioned above, the cover may be used as a handle for the application of the enclosed article, such as a lipstick or'shaving soap when held in the cup 25. As shown in Fig. 5, this is accomplished by simply attaching the cover 5-to the other end or side of the base i2 by slipping the cover over the collar It in the manner described above with respect to collar IS. The operation of removing the cover from collar l5 and attaching it to the collar i5 is very quickly accomplished, as well as the reverse operation, and in the same way.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the base I2 is shown modified so as to provide an additional receptacle if desired, for articles such as rouge, powder, small coins or the like. In this modification, the collar i6 is cupped at 21 similarly to collar 95 and may be provided with a spring-type lid 23 over which the cover 5 will pass. It is to be understood that may be used if desired, and also, the collar 13 may be eliminated so that the case terminates at one side of the ring H.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the same principle of closure is shown wherein a holding ring 3| has tapered collars 32 and 33 thereon similar to collars l5 and it on ringll of Fig. 3. In this embodiment, however, there are provided notches 34 and 35 on collar 32 adjacent the ring 3i and similar notches 36 and 31 on collar 33 of the same general type as the projections l0 and I l on cover 5 of Fig. 1. That is, the contacting surfaces 44 are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the accommodate and hold any desired article such as unit so as to prevent separation by a direct pull. A cover 38 has slits 39 similar to slits 8 and 1 of Fig. 1 and is also provided with projections 4i and 42 of the shape of slots I 0 and I l in the cover 5. Thus, to close the case, the cove is slipped on the collar 32, the projections 4| and 42 of the cover sliding into the notches 34 and 35, and the slit 89 permitting the end of the cover to expand during the operation. When the projections 4| and t2 correspond in position to slots 8t and 35, the cover will lock to the base when the projections M and 42 reach ring 3|. When the projections and slots are not; in alignment, however, rotation of the cover with respect to the base will cause them to coincide and lock the container in which an article may be held in cup 30, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

To open the case, a slight twisting motion is imparted to the cover relative to the base, and the circumferential cam action between the interlocking elements such as the slots 34 and 35 and projections M and 42 will remove the projections fromthe slots. With the projections now resting adjacent or between the slots, the tension in the cover 38 and the taper of the collar 32 will then urge the cover and base apart. Similarly to the first-mentioned modification, the cover 38 may be used as a handle by attaching it to collar 33 while the collar 33 may be cupped and a lid provided therefor as in Fig. 6.

With the above-described cases, the closing and opening thereof, are readily accomplished, there being substantially no possibility of an accidental opening.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a container portion having a tapered circumferential surface with dual cam sections thereon, and a cover portion with dual cams thereon, said cover portion cam sections being reversed with respect to the cam sections of said container portion to accommodate the cam sections on said container portion when brought in contact therewith to provide a cover similar to cover 5 of appropriate length a positive lock between said container portion and said cover portion, said respective cam sections being normally disengageable only when one of said portions is rotated with respect to the other.

2. In an article of manufacture, a base portion having a pair'of oppositely directed externally tapered collars and circumferential cam sections positioned therein, and a hollow resilient cover portion having conjugate cam sections adapted to coincide with said cam sections of either of the oppositely directed externally tapered collars of said base when either of said collars is inserted within said cover portion, the contacting sides of said cam sections resisting separation of said base and cover portions being substantially perpendicular to the sides of said cover portion.

3. An article in accordance with claim 2 in which said cover portion is split to permit internal enlargement thereof when either of said collars is inserted therein.

4. An article container comprising a base portion having a finger ring portion and apair of collars consisting of external surfaces tapering away from said finger ring portion, said tapered surfaces having at least two cam sections, and a hollow cover portion for said container. the internal rim thereof having at least two conjuzate cam sections, adapted to fit into said cam sections in said collar when said collar is inserted within said cover, the contacting sides of said cam sections resisting separation of said base and cover portion being substantially perpendicular to the sides of said cover portion.

5. A container in accordance with claim 4, in which said collar is cupped to hold an article, said cover having a substantially elliptical-shaped cross-section.

6. A container in accordance with claim 4 in which said cover is partially split, tension being portion closed at one end and open at the op-' posite end, the open end of said cover portion being slotted to provide a pair of yieldable side portions, a cam member carried by each of said side portions, a closure member having a pair of oppositely projecting portions, one of said portions comprising a coupling member and the other of said portions comprising an article carrier, and cam members carried by each of said oppositely projecting portions for engaging the cam membars in said side portions by relative rotation between said cover portion and said closure member for mounting said closure member in either of two positions with either said coupling member 20 portion.

HAROLD B. RORKE. 

